Badminton Legend Stands by Lee Zii Jia Despite Injury Scare and Selection Questions

Originally posted on AceBadmintonCommunity
By Aadhya Nalla | Last updated Apr 22, 2026 4:22 AM ET

Peter Gade, the former world No. 1 of Denmark and one of badminton’s biggest icons, has recently backed Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia, ahead of the Thomas Cup event.

There was a lot of doubt around the player’s form and consistency due to his injuries and his stance at the Thomas Cup. Peter Gade came out to give his statement for Zii Jia, supporting him despite his recent setbacks.

“I’m not sure what level Zii Jia is at now,” Gade said, “We know what he is capable of; If Zii Jia gets close to his best, Malaysia’s chances in the third singles will improve.”

The uncertainty surrounding the player has been going on for months now.

The Thomas Cup finals show is scheduled in Horsens, Denmark, from April 24 to May 3, with Malaysia placed in Group B along with Japan, England, and Finland.

Zii Jia is expected to be Malaysia’s third singles player in the event, instead of the first, as in the previous editions, his coach, Liew Daren, said it would be difficult for him to be the first or second singles due to his current world ranking, which is world No.83.

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It was reported that Leong Jun Hao, world No.25, will be taking the first singles, and Justin Hoh, ranked world No.44 to be taking the second singles.

Even though Zii Jia previously left the national setup to be an independent player, he is back with BAM to prepare for the 2026 Thomas Cup with access to top facilities, centralized training, and even to help with his injury recovery.

Zii Jia’s Injury and Recovery

Lee Zii Jia is reported to be dealing with a recurring ankle injury dating back to the World Tour Finals in December 2024, which made him take a long break from training.

This same injury also disrupted his preparation for the Thomas Cup in early April of this year, where he had to delay it because of his ongoing rehabilitation. National singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen kept Zii Jia in close observation throughout his recovery.

Even his coach, Liew Daren, has stated that the player has “100 per cent recovered” and now their focus lies on getting him back to his old form, through more intense training before the finals in Denmark.

What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments.

This article first appeared on AceBadmintonCommunity and was syndicated with permission.

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